For Love of the Game?
by starhamster42
Summary: My favorite article, debating Neopoint rewards for the Neopian Times.


"For Love of the Game?" by Starhamster42  
  
Hello there, reader; my name is Starhamster42. I was answering my Neomail last weekend (a huge thank-you to all who wrote to me about my article!) and among the many comments there, found this little gem: "I loved your idea, but I think there should be prizes for the different levels of Neopian Times writers: 1-10 times gets 750 NP, 11-30 times gets 2000, 31-50 times gets 5000, 50+ times gets 50000."  
  
I automatically reached for the keyboard to reply, but then paused. I'm not unfamiliar to comments like this - being an avid NeoQuester myself, I can still remember my reaction when I read the news that NeoQuest was now giving out NeoPoints for playing: "No! This can't be happening; it'll ruin everything!"  
  
You see, even from the beginning, when NeoQuest was first released, there had been relatively few fans of it - yes, it was cool to fight the evil monsters, upgrade your weapons and skills, and save the day, but the inconvenient server times, coupled with the fact that the game itself took so long to play and finish, did a pretty good job of keeping the average Neopian away. Many were the whines of "This is boring" and "Is there some cheat code to go straight to the end?"  
  
We NeoQuesters were the few who stayed up late into the night and woke up extra-early to play during the game's odd hours, determined to play through the entire game and defeat Jahbal; we played knowing the only reward was the satisfaction of a job well done, and delighting in that simple knowledge: there were no huge Neopoint prizes to get in our way. Sure, there was the plain bronze trophy - but we regarded it more as a badge of our dedication, not just a mere adornment for the cabinet. We simply played together *for the love of the game.* So when I saw the news that that Neopoints were being given... well, there went my ideals, straight out the window!  
  
While I personally still dislike the idea of receiving Neopoints for the game, I have to admit that it has managed to get a lot more Neopians interested in NeoQuest. The number of game-relevant posts filled the NeoQuest Chatboard to overflowing within the first week of the announcement; this had previously been an unheard-of rarity.  
  
Okay, I know what you're probably thinking: "What does this have to do with the Neopian Times?" To put it bluntly, a lot.  
  
Contrary to what some Neopians may think, those who write for the Neopian Times do not receive any sort of money prize at all. True, we do get that lovely golden quill on our userlookups, but, like the NeoQuesters, it's more a symbol of our dedication than anything else - because it takes effort and creativity to write, perhaps even more so than winning a trophy in any Flash game.  
  
Now comes the issue of Neopoint rewards. Are they a good thing? Let's look at both sides of the issue in a few different scenarios, along with possible causes and effects.  
  
Pros:  
  
Neopoint rewards might attract more people to the Neopian Times; because of this, the NT will enjoy a wonderful golden age filled with all those fantastic tales and theories that people had but never wanted to write about before.  
  
Those who write well and are published in the Neopian Times will be encouraged to write more; feedback from readers + money to feed pets/build a Neohome/play games = instant gratification! The Neopian Times is set for life, with a huge taskforce of talented, creative writers!  
  
Neopia itself will benefit, as Neopians become more educated about the world around them through the influx of fantastic work. People will worship the Neopian Times and all who write for it, singing praises about their valiant efforts and... no, not really. Just kidding about that last part (though it would be nice!)  
  
Cons:  
  
On the other hand, Neopoint rewards might do just the opposite - people would start writing for the NT not because they love to write, but because they want a way to get rich "quick." This greedy way of thinking would soon taint the minds of Neopians everywhere: "The more I can write and submit to get published, the more Neopoints I get! Hey, who cares if it's not *good* work - as long as I'm getting money for it, right?" As a result, the editors would be overwhelmed with thousands of e-mail submissions (not to mention complaints when everyone's work is not published instantly), and the quality of the writing in the Neopian Times would quickly plummet, spelling certain doom for the Neopian Times.  
  
The work in the Neopian Times will soon become totally bland; while superhero comics and Pound stories are not necessarily bad, too many people will start writing them for lack of better, more creative ideas and for want of that Neopoint prize. As a result, the NT will degrade into a bland, clichéd newspaper where nothing stands out to catch the reader's eye.  
  
Bored out of their wits by the repetitive stories and the horrible masses of chatspeak that have started showing up in the published work (due to the editors being overworked), Neopians stop reading the Neopian Times. Everyone's work goes to total waste. Doom and gloom prevails.  
  
There, you have the entire list now. Neopoint rewards are not a guarantee that the horrible "con" scenario will happen - after all, look at what it did for NeoQuest! - but they will guarantee that the Neopian Times and its writers will be forever changed.  
  
Whether this change is for better or worse really depends upon you. Yes, that's right, you - a citizen of Neopia, with your own unique dreams and ambitions. Neopians can and will make a difference in this issue; for now, there is merely the choice of "Will you write because you love it?" In the future, you may be faced with two more choices: will your greedy hearts take over your mind, or will you continue writing for the love of it?  
  
Fellow Neopians, the choice is in your hands. I trust that you will each make the right choice for yourself - nothing more, nothing less.  
  
Until next time, this is Starhamster42, signing off. Have a nice diurnal anomaly! 


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